Theurgy

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Theurgy \The"ur*gy\ (th[=e]"[u^]r*j[y^]), n. [L. theurgia, Gr.
     qeoyrgi`a, fr. qeoyrgo`s doing the works of God; qeo`s God +
     'e`rgon work: cf. F. th['e]urgie. See {Theism}, and {Work}.]
     1. A divine work; a miracle; hence, magic; sorcery.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. A kind of magical science or art developed in Alexandria
        among the Neoplatonists, and supposed to enable man to
        influence the will of the gods by means of purification
        and other sacramental rites. --Schaff-Herzog Encyc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. In later or modern magic, that species of magic in which
        effects are claimed to be produced by supernatural agency,
        in distinction from natural magic.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  theurgy
       n : magic performed with the help of beneficent spirits

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  36 Moby Thesaurus words for "theurgy":
     alchemy, bewitchery, charm, divination, enchantment, fetishism,
     glamour, gramarye, hoodoo, juju, jujuism, magic, natural magic,
     necromancy, obeah, rune, shamanism, sorcery, sortilege, spell,
     spellbinding, spellcasting, sympathetic magic, thaumaturgia,
     thaumaturgics, thaumaturgism, thaumaturgy, vampirism, voodoo,
     voodooism, wanga, white magic, witchcraft, witchery, witchwork,
     wizardry